WSP04505

• File Number: 8240.300.31.J
• Description: San Juan River - Environmental Studies
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 8/1/1997
• Author: DOI
• Title: Finding of No Significant Impact for an Experimental Stocking of Colorado Squawfish in the San Juan River
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

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I. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION

A. PROPOSAL

The Service, through the Colorado River Fisheries Office, proposes to stock 50 adult Colorado
squawfish in the San Juan River. This effort is proposed under the ongoing cooperative
research sponsored by the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program. As of
this date, the cooperators with the Service in the Implementation Program include the Bureau
of Reclamation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of land Management, the States of
Colorado and New Mexico, the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe,
the Jicarilla Apache Indian Tribe, and the Navajo Nation.

B. PURPOSE

The proposed experimental stocking of Colorado squawfish in the San Juan River is in support
of the purposes of the Implementation Program. These purposes are listed below:

1. To conserve populations of the endangered colorado squawfish (Ptvchocheilus
luciusl and razorback sucker (Xvrauchen texanus) in the Basin consistent with
the recovery goals established under the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C.
1531 etseq.

2. To proceed with water development in the Basin in compliance with federal and
state laws, interstate compacts, Supreme Court decrees, and federal trust
responsibilities to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Indian
Tribe, the Jicarilla Apache Indian Tribe, and the Navajo Nation.

The Implementation Program identifies actions and objectives needed to attain these goals and
to implement recovery of the endangered fish species within 1 5 years. The proposed stocking
effort is an element of the identified research needs and recovery goals listed in Sections 3.1
and 3.2 of the Implementation Program document: the essential research for long range plan
and program goal development, and the protection of genetic integrity and management and
augmentation of populations.

The stocking proposal has been designed to (1) answer specific research questions essential
for the recovery of Colorado squawfish, and (2) aid in the evaluation of the utility of further
artificial augmentation efforts to achieve recovery goals for this species.

The investigations that comprise this proposal will focus on monitoring the stocked adult
Colorado squawfish to determine their movements, habitat use, interactions with conspecifics,
and identification of spawning grounds. The proposal has four objectives:

1. determine seasonal habitat use of adult Colorado squawfish in the San Juan River;

2. determine if hatchery reared squawfish can lead researchers to their wild
counterparts and then identify spawning sites;

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